‘Dark business’: Thailand braces for World Cup gambling frenzy

[webfact]

Thailand is expecting a surge in gambling during the Qatar World Cup [Courtesy of Vijitra Duangdee]

 

Thais are expected to wager up to $1.6bn on football matches during the Qatar World Cup.

 

By Vijitra Duangdee

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA

 

Bangkok, Thailand – Every 15 minutes, a small crowd gathers at a shack in a Bangkok market to wait for the numbers to be drawn.

 

The buzz of anticipation at each ping-pong lotto draw is palpable but the excitement is invariably short-lived.

 

When the number five is called out at a recent draw, a man chewing a betel nut sighs at his loss of 1,000 Thai baht ($28). Another scrunches up the paper containing his 20-baht ($0.50) wager.

 

Punters who guess the right number can win 10 times their stake. But in the end, the house always wins.

 

“We can make up to $15,000 a month from each table and we can pay the right people to stay open,” the streetside bookmaker operating the draw told Al Jazeera, asking to remain anonymous.

 

Full story: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/11/17/in-our-dna-thailand-braces-for-world-cup-gambling-frenzy

 

-- © Copyright ALJAZEERA 2022-11-19

 

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[2baht]

I'll bet there'll be plenty of losers!

[RichardColeman]

Just another lost opportunity by the Thai government. Maybe someone should tell them they could have some nice new military hardware with betting tax money

[sammieuk1]

Many will be left with just chewing their nuts as the bookie makes off with the betel as well as their cash ???? 

[keithkarmann]

With gambling illegal in Thailand I just can't believe this headline.

[keithkarmann]

4 hours ago, 2baht said:

I'll bet there'll be plenty of losers!

Do you mean as with the lottery?

[2baht]

Just now, keithkarmann said:

Do you mean as with the lottery?

As with any form of gambling!

[mikebell]

5 minutes ago, keithkarmann said:

Do you mean as with the lottery?

The state lottery is fixed which is why they don't allow you to choose your own numbers.  Most winning tickets are sold off to the chosen before the draw.

[Harveyboy]

29 minutes ago, 2baht said:

As with any form of gambling!

true no winners in gambling I used to have a pub in the UK myself and the wife went abroad 3 times a year just from our earnings off 2 gambling machines ..fool and his money eh

[proton]

Gambling causes more misery than anything

[sambum]

1 hour ago, keithkarmann said:

With gambling illegal in Thailand I just can't believe this headline.

A bit like "There is no prostitution in Pattaya" ????

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“We can make up to $15,000 a month from each table and we can pay the right people to stay open,” the streetside bookmaker operating the draw told Al Jazeera, asking to remain anonymous.

Hush, loose lips cost lives.

[Purdey]

It is more clear about why the government gave gamblers, ahem, I mean the citizens, free access to the World Cup. Politicians dominate gambling and they will make a killing.

[Aussieroaming]

First comes the world cup, then comes the illegal gambling, then comes the debt murders when gambling debts can't be paid. Well done Thailand, you can become the hub of greed and avarice, though you will have to battle with your big brother China for the title.

[bradiston]

Estimated $1.6 billion will be gambled in Thailand on FIFAWC, about 30 times more than the cost of buying the rights! There's a moral in there somewhere. Legalise and tax gambling? Would pay for a lot!

[MrJ2U]

11 hours ago, 2baht said:

As with any form of gambling!

Also big winners. 

[Sweet Swede]

What reason for Thai people to watch this, if not for gambling and still the goverment spend millions to enable it as as a free view. Beats me. 

 

[khaowong1]

What exactly did the Thai government expect?  Thai's are going to gamble on practically anything.  The World Cup, a cockroach race... doesn't matter.  I would be very surprised if some very big important people weren't in charge of the gambling going on and pocketing a whole bunch of money.  

[2baht]

8 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

Also big winners. 

Gamblers never lose, they always win or break even, just ask one! ????

[Ginner]

On 11/19/2022 at 7:09 AM, sammieuk1 said:

Many will be left with just chewing their nuts as the bookie makes off with the betel as well as their cash ???? 

The Government MUST know that if they make it legal with registered casinos the betting tax they could impose will buy them all new homes, cars and young tarts.

[jacko45k]

10 minutes ago, Ginner said:

The Government MUST know that if they make it legal with registered casinos the betting tax they could impose will buy them all new homes, cars and young tarts.

More of the same...... not enough arm for more time pieces!

[Kalasin Jo]

On 11/19/2022 at 8:41 AM, keithkarmann said:

With gambling illegal in Thailand I just can't believe this headline.

Why not? Or are you being ironic? Gambling is endemic here the more so probably because illegal. Adds to the buzz as does scattering in all directions on the odd occasion plod has decided to carry out a raid.